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| United States Patent |
5,195,562
|
|
Dreyfuss
, et al.
|
March 23, 1993
|
Pipe-end protector
Abstract
A protector for the threads of a pipe-end, comprises a tubular member
including a longitudinal portion and a curved end portion bent
substantially 270.degree., the curved end portion including an edge
disposed a distance away from the longitudinal portion; and an elastomeric
sleeve disposed co-axially and substantially co-extensively relative to
the tubular member. The sleeve is adapted to engage the threads of the
pipe-end. The sleeve includes an end portion disposed between the edge and
the longitudinal portion, the edge clamping the sleeve end portion against
the longitudinal portion, thereby securing the sleeve to the tubular
member. The sleeve includes a radially extending annular flange disposed
outside the curved end portion for engaging an end portion of the
pipe-end.
| Inventors:
|
Dreyfuss; Wilfried (Eimke, DE);
Remp; Thomas E. (Houston, TX);
Muller; Kurt (Eicklingen, DE)
|
| Assignee:
|
Drilltec Patents & Technologies Co. (Houston, TX)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
531107 |
| Filed:
|
May 31, 1990 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
138/96T; 138/89 |
| Intern'l Class: |
B65D 059/06 |
| Field of Search: |
138/89,96 R,96 T
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 1692710 | Nov., 1928 | Spahn | 138/96.
|
| 2098087 | Nov., 1937 | Engstrom | 138/96.
|
| 2134730 | Nov., 1938 | Osborn | 138/96.
|
| 2215829 | Sep., 1940 | Evans | 138/96.
|
| 2316013 | Apr., 1942 | Mulholland | 138/96.
|
| 2691992 | Oct., 1954 | Phillips | 138/96.
|
| 4139005 | Feb., 1979 | Dickey | 138/96.
|
| 4210179 | Jul., 1980 | Galer | 138/96.
|
| 4337799 | Jul., 1982 | Hoover | 138/96.
|
| 4379471 | Apr., 1983 | Kuenzel | 138/96.
|
| 4487228 | Dec., 1984 | Waldo et al. | 138/89.
|
| 4582090 | Apr., 1986 | Chose et al. | 138/89.
|
| 4655256 | Apr., 1987 | Lasota et al. | 138/96.
|
| 4662402 | May., 1987 | Dreyfuss et al. | 138/96.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 664372 | May., 1933 | DE2.
| |
| 872393 | Jun., 1942 | FR | 138/96.
|
Primary Examiner: Bryant, III; James E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shlesinger, Arkwright & Garvey
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation division of application Ser. No. 07/212,795, filed
Jun. 29, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,141.
Claims
We claim:
1. A protector for the threads of a pipe-end, comprising:
a) a tubular member including a longitudinal portion and a curved end
portion bent outwardly substantially 270.degree., said curved end portion
including an edge disposed a distance away from said longitudinal portion;
b) an elastomeric sleeve disposed co-axially and substantially
co-extensively outside of said tubular member, said sleeve being adapted
to engage the threads of a pipe-end;
c) said sleeve including an end portion disposed between said edge and said
longitudinal portion, said edge clamping said sleeve end portion against
said longitudinal portion, thereby securing said sleeve to said tubular
member;
d) said sleeve including a radially extending annular flange disposed
outside said curved end portion for engaging an end portion of the
pipe-end; and
e) an elastic lid removably secured to said tubular member adjacent said
curved end portion.
2. A protector as in claim 1, wherein:
a) said tubular member includes a circumferential clearance disposed on an
inner surface thereof; and
b) said elastic lid includes a rib cooperating with said circumferential
clearance.
3. A protector as in claim 1, wherein:
a) said tubular member includes a plurality of spaced clearances disposed
on an inner surface thereof; and
b) said elastic lid includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced
projections cooperating with said spaced clearances.
4. A protector as in claim 1, wherein:
a) said flange includes an annular seal in sealing contact with an end
portion of the pipe-end.
5. A protector as in claim 4, wherein:
a) said flange includes an annular groove disposed on a lower surfaces
thereof; and
b) said seal is operably associated with said groove.
6. A protector as in claim 5, wherein:
a) said seal is disposed obliquely outwardly.
Description
The invention concerns a pipe-end protector.
Protectors consisting of a metal housing and an integral plastic inset, or
of a metal plug and an integral sleeve-like cover have long been known;
illustratively see the German patent 2,939,384 and the German
Offenlegungsschrift 2,800,747. These devices incur the drawback that
insets and covers must be made using comparatively expensive tools or
molds where following injection, either the thread core must be turned out
or the inset or cover must be screwed off the core. Molds with so-called
drop cores are economical only for mass production because of their
complex design.
Furthermore, plastic protectors have long been known.
Protectors with integral insets or covers and also protectors made of
plastic moreover suffer from the drawback of being hard to disassemble,
and even harder to assemble, at low temperatures on account of the
contraction of the plastic. As a result substantial problems may be
encountered when using such protectors for instance for petroleum pipes,
which are used at much different temperatures, especially where
large-diameter pipes are concerned.
Again protectors are known for which the metal housing of the metal plug is
merely bent around at the upper edge to provide the protective cap or plug
with greater strength. In many cases, especially with large-diameter pipes
or with very heavy pipes, the strength no longer suffices to effectively
protect the pipe end and the pipe threads against impacts.
Accordingly the object of the present invention is to so design a protector
of the initially cited kind that greater strength is possible. Also,
manufacture shall be made easier.
This problem is solved by the present invention wherein a pipe-end
protector is provided, which depending on the application, is in the form
of a cap or a plug with a metal housing and a sleeve-like elastomer inset
or with a metal plug and a sleeve-like elastomer cover, respectively,
characterized in that the metal housing or the metal plug is tubular and
comprised a flanged or rolled edge at the outer end. The manufacture is
substantially eased by the designs of the present invention. Advantageous
and appropriate further developments are stated in the application.
Protectors of the type disclosed herein are substantially stronger than
protectors known heretofore, in particular on account of the flanged, or
rolled, or folded edge.
On account of the design disclosed herein, the manufacture of the insert or
cover is feasible using simple molds which are much more economical to
make than those hitherto used in the state of the art. The molds merely
need be equipped with ejector pins to eject the injection molding. As a
result cooling and fabrication times are substantially reduced.
The metal housing and the metal stopper of the invention are equally
advantageously applicable, whether integral or multi-part insets and
covers are concerned.
The groove formed in the inset illustratively may be used to insert a
bottom in order to turn an open protective cap into a closed one. Separate
sealing elements also may be placed into the grooves, as disclosed herein.
Instead of such sealing elements, injection-molded thin-walled strips also
may be provided as axial sealing rings.
The further development disclosed herein allows especially good axial
fastening of the inset or cover to the metal unit.
The protectors disclosed herein are especially advantageous.
The invention is elucidated below in relation to the attached drawing
showing the embodiment mode.
FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a pipe-end protector according to the present
invention.
FIG. 1 shows a section of a protective plug 100 with a hollow-cylindrical
metal plug 102 having an elastomer sleeve-like cover 104. The
hollow-cylindrical plug is provided at its end with an outwardly bent
flange edge 106. The cover 104 enters the flange of the flange edge 106 in
such a way that the outwardly bent part of this edge overlaps the end of
the cover 104 and that the free flange edge 107 engages the cover or rests
against it clamping manner. The flange edge 106 is bent substantially 270
degrees, as shown in FIG. 1. On the outside the cover 104 comprises a
circumferential stop 108 for the pipe end 110. On the inside, the metal
plug comprises one circumferential clearance 112' or several spaced
circumferential clearances 112 near the flanged edge 106 into which an
elastic, snap in lid 114 with one circumferential rib 116' or with several
spaced projections 116, can be removably inserted. A circumferential seal
118 in the form of a sealing lip is integrated in the annular pipe stop
surface of the stop 108 to cover the gap between the stop and the pipe
end, and this seal 118 when unloaded will point obliquely outward (shown
in dashed lines). However a groove 120 also may be provided there (shown
in dashed lines) for an insertable seal.
Because of the special design of the flanged edge together with the inset
or cover of FIG. 1, additional elements to secure against rotation and
against dropping-out, (axially loose inset or cover), will not be needed.
This securing against dropping-out or rotation is assured by the flanged
edges engaging the elastomer of the inset or of the cover or by its
clamping action.
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